More snow fell Saturday than expected during the area’s first snowfall of the season, apparently catching some off guard.

The conditions made it a better day to be indoors decorating the house or baking cookies rather than braving the icy roads.

Tom Kines, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather, said the snowfall amounted to more than what was originally expected.

“From a few days before the event, I think the feeling was if there was going to be any snow, it wasn’t going to be very much,” Kines said. “However, the system tracked a lot closer to the coast, so therefore, we got into some significant precipitation, and it was cold enough for there to be snow.”

Kines said that most areas received between 4 to 6 inches of snow, while some areas picked up a little more than that.

State department of transportation crews were out in advance of the storm, said Sean Brown, safety press officer for PennDOT.

“We knew the storm was coming, so we had time to prepare for the storm,” Brown said. “Our crews prepare for that and they basically adjust how they address the storm based on how the weather dictates.

Brown said the fact that the snow fell on Saturday rather than the traditional workweek was a plus.

“It’s good when (it’s on) the weekend when less people have to use the road; it’s always easier for us to get the job done,” he said. “It’s always safer for the driver to not be on the road if they don’t need to be.”

The slick road conditions amounted to round-the-clock work at Hopes Collision & Towing in Tamaqua, according to employee Justin Martinson.

Martinson said they got their first call around 9:45 a.m. for a crash on Routes 443 and 895 near New Ringgold. A vehicle slid off a roadway into the woods. The driver was trapped.

Afterward, Martinson said they received another call for a spun-out tractor trailer on Hunter Street in Tamaqua.

“We were short-staffed, but had to call some of the guys that were off in to respond to the numerous calls,” Martinson said. “We had four accidents right here in Tamaqua right at the bottom of Stadium Hill due to slippery and treacherous road conditions.”

Martinson said the roads continued to stay bad throughout much of the day and into the evening.

“I figure we brought in two that were drivable, and 10 motor vehicles that were a wreck,” he said. “I want to thank all my guys for the great effort in responding quickly to all of our customers.”

Brown said that when PennDOT’s crews aren’t plowing, they work on other maintenance activities.

“There’s always pothole patching or brush cutting or various other maintenance activities that you can do during colder weather,” he said. “When snow or inclement weather comes, that’s their main focus.”

Brown said that PennDOT currently has positions available for temporary CDL drivers.

Kines said there could be a little bit of precipitation very late tonight, though probably more likely tomorrow morning.

“It’s not out of the question that maybe by late morning that if it were precipitating, it could be more in the form of rain than snow,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to cause any problems for us.”

Kines said it’s probably going to get windy by tomorrow night and into Wednesday.

“And with that wind, it’s also going to turn colder,” he said. “I think temperatures on Wednesday might have a tough time crashing 30, a blustery, cold day.”

Kines said that the area could see a little bit of snow later in the workweek, come Thursday or Friday.

He said that could amount to a half inch to three-quarters of an inch, but that as of right now, most of the precipitation should stay toward the south.